Waugh pours cold water on four quick bowlers

BRISBANE - Australian captain Steve Waugh spared the West Indies an early death by speed today when he virtually ruled out using four quick bowlers in Thursday's first Test.

Instead, Waugh wants a spinner to help Australia strike the first blow against the fragile tourists when the five-match Test series begins in Brisbane.

Slow men Stuart MacGill and Colin Miller will fight for a berth while Queenslander Andrew Bichel seems the most likely casualty of the decision not to play four quicks.

Waugh hasn't shut the door on the concept but a forecast of improved weather will deflate the chances of a fast bowlers' paradise at the Gabba.

"You pick the four bowlers who you think will win you the Test match ... but I think four quicks may be overdoing it a bit," Waugh said today.

"I think three will do the job."

Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee and Jason Gillespie shape as the likely pace trio but selectors are watching the weather conditions.

The new Gabba strip is not expected to play like a traditional Brisbane wicket after curator Kevin Mitchell battled wet weather during the past week.

"It's not your normal Gabba wicket," Waugh said.

"It doesn't look as even as normal and it could be hard work for the batsmen."

Australian selectors will wait until Wednesday to trim one bowler from the 13-man squad, leaving another to carry the drinks.

McGrath and Lee are the new-ball certainties but selectors will take time to weigh up their support options.

Most cricket fans believe Australia will win the Test regardless of the chosen bowing combination after the Windies' disastrous lead-up form. Yesterday's loss to Victoria by an innings and 63 runs did nothing to stir up the Test series, only forcing bookmakers to again shorten Australia's cramped odds.

But Waugh and his players insist complacency won't be a problem and the captain will address the issue only once.

"We'll talk about it in the next couple of days and we'll try and mention it just once this season," Waugh said.

"We're professional enough to know there's a lot to play for and there is a lot of guys wanting a spot in the Australian side. That's enough incentive to play well."

The Australian squad refused to read anything into the Windies' woes, instead offering indirect words of encouragement for the tourists.

The Windies need all the support they can muster after folding for 114 against Victoria - their third total beneath 170 in four first-class innings in Australia.

"We haven't beaten them a lot recently and the last couple of times we've done well but there is still a long way to go," Waugh said.

"We don't want to get too carried away with what they've done because form leading up to a Test match doesn't count for a lot.

"In my first series against England in '86 they had terrible form and people said they couldn't play at all but they beat us here in Brisbane."